The judging panel for this year comprises Dr Michael Newcombe (director and senior structural engineer at Enovate Consultants), Pip Cheshire (founding principal of Cheshire Architects) and Dr Duncan Joiner (chief architect with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment).

In addition, the Novel Application of Fibre Award will be judged by Doug Gaunt, a civil engineer at Scion in Rotorua with extensive research experience.

Debbie Fergie, NZ Wood’s promotion manager, says, “We’re delighted to have had strong support again this year. There have been multiple entries by architects and designers and competition has been extremely tight, with many entries missing out by only one point.”

Stage Two of the judging process will take place on February 8, when category winners and the supreme winner will be decided.

All winners will be announced at a gala awards dinner at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland on 9 March 2017. Buy tickets here.